Ngamiland Annual Basket Competition Exhibition



Baskets on display

 The Annual Basket  Exhibition  showcasing some of Botswana's best basket makers opened at  the Nhabe Museum on Wenesday, 7th June. A traditional craft and a creative use of our natural resources, basket making is also an income generating enterprise for women. Steps of making these baskets are quite involving. Firstly, the weaver must be skilled in selecting only the corrected aged leaves to ensure the perfect pliability during weaving. Collection of these materials has its own dangers as there are many dangerous animals that live in these areas like elephants, crocodiles and snakes. The shapes and sizes of these baskets were traditionally defined by function. "Open" baskets which have a wide bowl shape were traditionally used to carry things on the head  or for winowing grain, whilst "closed " baskets with lids, were traditionally used for strong grain holding and traditional sorghum beer. The exhibition will be running for a couple of weeks.